cmelaniesenf Reviews

How I Met Your Father (2022–2023)

Not even a different hangout and/or maybe even a different city

[6/10 · 25 May 2024]

Let's be honest, this spin-off / reboot / sequel or whatever you want to call it never really had a chance, did it?

I compared everything, every storyline, every character, every hint, even every piece of furniture to HIMYM. Kind of mean, isn't it?

But the cause of all evil is the makers themselves. HIMYM was original because the characters were based on friends, because they experienced one thing or another themselves. HIMYF seems too forced, too fake. It lacks new ideas, interesting mature characters, a natural dynamic within the clique, a different hangout and maybe even a different city.

The concept as presented here would only have worked if it had been the mother from the original who had told her story, her life, to the children. As a conclusion, as a revelation before she dies.

This version could only go wrong.

What annoyed me the most was the theory that Sid was supposed to be the father. Sid!

Sid barely has any interactions with Sophie. She could just as easily have had her child from any one night stand. Ted also had little to do with the mother, but there were hints that it was someone outside the group. With HIMYF, it would have been more believable if Ian had been the father. But Sid?

I would still like to say something positive about the series: this on-off thing between Valentina and Charlie was really quite heartbreaking. I'm glad that at least they both got the ending they deserved.

P. S. Why do so many people find the Valentina character annoying? Sophie is much worse. She and her future self have no common denominator at all. Sophie (the young version) is unworldly, way too naive and... Lordy, even Ted wasn't as annoying as her and that's saying something.

Saltburn (2023)

idea of the film is quite interesting

[5/10 · 4 May 2024]

I don't understand the hype surrounding this film... and the way I see it here, I'm not alone with my opinion, LOL.

It was long-winded, the rambling was hard to understand, the story was opaque and somehow all over the place, unlikeable characters... just a waste of time.

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit too negative, because I found the idea of the film quite interesting. It's a little bit of everything: thriller, drama and a tearjerker, but I just didn't like the realisation. Maybe I just wasn't prepared to have to think too hard, because I relied on the trailer, which promised me a romantic film.

The Idea of You (2024)

focus on the actual story of a woman meeting a guy

[9/10 · 4 May 2024]

Guys, forget your prejudices about Wattpad. THIS film is different!

Let's leave out the Harry Styles inspired pop star story (it's definitely Harry Styles, anyone who says otherwise is lying) and focus on the actual story of a woman meeting a guy.

I haven't seen a tearjerker film so close to reality in years. Apart from the pop star story, it was simply real. No exaggerated bad boy must be tamed story with lies and cheating, no toxic relationship where one can't do without the other and therefore a cat and mouse game develops over 5 films. It was just real. Adult real.

Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe the pop star story does work somehow and isn't far from reality. As I have no idea who is hip and famous anymore, the same thing could probably happen to me if I were in the right place at the right time.

Why I'm still not giving it 10 stars has to do with the ending. Not that I wouldn't have wanted it, but somehow I expected it not to go the way I imagined. Which would have been a good thing. Just grown up.

Nevertheless, this is one of the few films that I would watch again and again.

Modern Family (2009–2020)

A solid, good series

[8/10 · 29 April 2024]

Do you sometimes feel like you want to write a review, but you just can't think of any (more) reasons to give the series this or that many stars, you just feel it?

That's how I feel about Modern Family. It was a good series. Good format, great characters, rarely boring, good for a marathon because it's entertaining and I'm also more or less satisfied with the 'ending'. Apart from Hayley's storyline. But that's what most people think. So we don't need to go over that again.

Apart from that, however, I somehow have no opinion at all. All I know is that the series is an 8. A solid, good series. Just an 8.

Charité (2017– )

German productions are rarely good...

[6/10 · 29 April 2024]

German productions are rarely good. The series Charité would actually have had what it takes, but alienated the audience with its ludicrous choice of the right cast.

While season 1 still deserves all 10 stars, the mood changed for me in the following 2 seasons. Whilst the themes were great, the characters just didn't fit with the actors chosen. I can't say what it was, but it seemed to me that the actors were too weak for their roles. Maybe the roles were wrongly defined. Perhaps the characters' role models were actually like that. But if that was the case, the Charité can be happy to have got this far...

It's a shame really, because the series has so much potential to reappraise history and connect it with the present. The Germans should make more of an effort here to remain original.

The Witcher (2019– )

I gave up in the middle of season three

[6/10 · 21 April 2024]

Fantasy is not really my genre at all. But I'm happy to make an exception for Henry Cavill, especially as the trailer convinced me.

And yes, the first season was great. A bit lengthy at times, but just enough to make it bearable.

Unfortunately, it all went downhill after that. I gave up in the middle of season three. Not just because Ciri started to annoy me, but because the plot simply stopped. At the same time, it was also announced that Henry wouldn't be continuing, so I didn't feel compelled to continue watching, even though I would have liked to see whether this back and forth between Geralt and Yennefer would have come to a definitive end at some point.

Carnival Row (2019–2023)

I was surprised that the series wasn't canceled earlier

[6/10 · 21 April 2024]

It's a shame that IMDb doesn't allow you to summarize reviews in a short and crisp way (anymore). For many trailers, pilot episodes, first seasons or films, 250 letters a la Twitter are enough to give a meaningful opinion. So let's just do that again:

The first season of Carnival Row was okay, too good to stop after the pilot. But I didn't even watch the second because I had lost interest and the subject matter reminded me too much of Covid times. I have to admit, I was surprised that the series wasn't canceled like all the other wishy-washy series when nothing was allowed to be produced thanks to Covid.

The Boys (2019– )

the show's "hair-on-fire" mentality isn't enough for me

[6/10 · 21 April 2024]

After all the hero and anti-hero epics of recent years, I wanted to at least give this series a chance. But what looked promising became too one-sided, no, too stupid for me from season 3 onwards. Annoying characters, hardly any depth, zero character development and the storylines don't offer much variety.

We know that the world isn't a pony farm, but the show's "hair-on-fire" mentality isn't enough for me personally to stay tuned, I'm just not interested enough in the fates of the characters and the plot of the show.

It's a shame really, because I've actually liked Eric Kripke's work so far. The plots he developed for Supernatural were the best.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023)

I had wished for a different path for Midge

[9/10 · 21 April 2024]

I have to admit that after the Gilmore Girls revival debacle, I didn't really want to watch another series by the Palladinos, but the trailer piqued my interest, so I watched the pilot... Result: great!

Original plot with a 1A cast whose chemistry surpasses pretty much every family out there. I was particularly impressed that each character had their own in-depth story, which sometimes didn't convince me, but somehow always managed to turn the corner.

But now for the big one: the finale. It was a planned ending, not a surprise "we haven't been renewed and desperately need closure for all the characters in 10 episodes" shock.

The season somehow didn't feel right as a result... felt forced... contrived. Too much was crammed in, and too much was ignored. The finale left me with more questions than answers. I had also wished for a different path for Midge. That's why I have to correct my rating to 9 stars.

Fate: The Winx Saga (2021–2022)

incomplete, almost sloppy adaptation

[5/10 · 11 April 2024]

I suppose it's not a good sign if you can't remember the storylines at all, is it?

So let's start with the fact that I think you should have read the books to follow the series properly. It felt like some of the books were thrown together to adjust and or leave out things that seemed unimportant to the writers, such as progression, fates and so on. This made the adaptation seem somehow incomplete, almost sloppy.

What I also found unfortunate was the unsympathetic cast. No, let's say the unlikeable characters. Every introduction seemed more like someone sitting in a job interview instead of really getting to know them over time.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any more, because after the pilot I only listened with one ear and stopped somewhere (in the middle?) because the main character was driving me crazy.

Shameless (2011–2021)

I've been annoyed by at least one character per season

[6/10 · 24 March 2024]

There was at least one thing you could always rely on with Shameless over 11 seasons: it was literally a rollercoaster of emotions.

I've been annoyed by at least one character per season, I've suffered or rejoiced with another. I have to leave out Frank. I didn't like him from the start. From around season 5 onwards, however, I found it much harder to sympathize with the Gallaghers at all.

Although I don't blame the characters alone for that. It was more the storylines that led me to this. As if everyday life wasn't exciting enough for the Gallaghers, churches had to be founded and helicopters had to be stolen.

I only kept watching because I wanted to know whether Ian and Mickey would get a happy ending at some point and that should have been the end of the series. Because the final season was the worst concoction that you couldn't have dreamed up.

No plot holes were unearthed, there was no sign of Fiona, but instead life during a pandemic and everything was rushed through towards a new beginning. Pointless. Why would EVERYONE suddenly get their lives together at the same time when they haven't been able to for the last 10 years?

Tiny Pretty Things (2020)

all ambitions get lost in psydo teen drama

[4/10 · 20 August 2023]

First of all, I have zero interest in ballet. I can neither do anything with it as a sport nor as a viewer.

But the series was a nice change from all the police shows, vampires and witches of the TV landscape. It had a great set, nice colors and actually quite a lot of potential.

The problem: too little happens to stay on the ball. True, the pilot is exciting. Finally a series about mental health in an already known problem sport, but unfortunately all ambitions get lost in psydo teen drama.

In addition, there are the usual annoying characters with too much cliché.

It is therefore not surprising that Netflix let the series go down without a sound. Too bad.

The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022)

The trailer is more fascinating than the entire series!

[1/10 · 20 August 2023]

Let's keep it short, because this so-called prequel doesn't deserve much more: The trailer is more fascinating than the entire series!

It's not a prequel.

It's a series that hardly, if at all, suggests that it has anything to do with Geralt. It only deals with the general origins of witchcraft in the "The Witcher" world.

And this is also the crux of the matter. The viewer is focused on Geralt and his experiences for 2 seasons. Now you get to know a lot of new characters that are neither particularly well written, seem sympathetic or have already come to your attention in the original series.

At the same time, you have to torture yourself through epically long scenes per episode and still learn next to nothing.

If The Witcher had already dealt with the past, with flashbacks from that time, the prequel would probably have been better, but in this form it has nothing to do with The Witcher for me. It's not a prequel. It's simply a new series about witchcraft with great settings.

Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)

The ending bothers me

[9/10 · 20 August 2023]

Probably the first tearjerker of the year that I can give a 9 with a clear conscience!

(Almost) everything is right: original story, likable cast. The interactions seem real, the dialogues well thought out.

Unfortunately, with Netflix I often get the feeling that the actors are strangers to each other. They rarely pay attention to chemistry, the main thing is that Netflix has new content. As a result, the dialog often seems wooden, somehow alien.

But this movie has style. Each character has a (back)story, evolves.

However, the ending bothers me. Therefore "only" 9 stars. The reason is the last 30 minutes or so, which drift too much towards Neverland. I will try to remain vague in order not to spoil anything: Alex' statement to the journalists.

The gathering in front of Buckingham Palace after the incident.

The election results in Texas.

And the appearance of the whole "family" afterwards.

Fall (I) (2022)

Excepted nothing and got sweaty like I ran a marathon

[7/10 · 14 July 2023]

First off, I normally don't comment on films I watch for no particular reason but wasting time. But this one deserves some more attention. So let's just start with a basic fact: the idea to climb up an abundant tower in the middle of nowhere, without water and food is pretty dumb. I still very much enjoyed watching it. My palms, my feet... gosh I sweat like I ran a marathon!

However, I can honestly say that this is one of the best thrillers I've seen in a pretty long time. And that being said despite the predictable story. But how the movie was made with actors who seemed invested, budget for decent CGI and a great twist was just pure excitement.

Elementary (2012–2019)

why did everything have to be destroyed with Odin Reichenbacher?

[7/10 · 19 May 2023]

I wanted to write a completely different review, wanted to question the series and point out that reboots are not always the real thing.

But in fact, with fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes, I'm not sure that bringing him into the modern era doesn't have its good points. Because if you look at it closely, "Elementary" was not a reboot, but a reinterpretation. And: I loved the series!

The chemistry of the actors, the cases. It was great.

Unfortunately, though, the euphoria left me when it was announced that there would be a 7th season. The ending of season 6 was perfect, why did everything have to be destroyed with Odin Reichenbacher?

Season 7 would have made more sense to me if plot holes had been resolved. E.g. We never saw the body of Sherlock's father or his brother. Clear evidence that they are really dead. Surely there was a loophole here. I can't imagine Morland stepping down so easily.

I also miss an ending around Michael's story. I may be wrong here, but to my knowledge he was never caught, was he?

Clickbait (2021)

would have liked to see it as part of "Black Mirror"

[5/10 · 19 May 2023]

I really like series that don't romanticize anything to make the viewer happy.

Unfortunately, the series was still only worth a shrug.

It started with the characters. If even Adrian Grenier doesn't blow you away, something must have gone wrong with the entire production. The plot was a complete disaster, the characters unlikable, annoying, intrusive... I also didn't understand what their problem was with Nick.

What irritated me the most was IMDb's synopsis: "A collection of stories that show how people's uncontrolled impulses are fueled in the age of social media." Okay. So a collection it was. A collection to me means different stories told per episode. Even more so, the synopsis is strongly reminiscent of "Black Mirror," but not the series I had to watch here.

The idea was good, would have liked to see it as part of "Black Mirror". However, it was clearly too shallow for a mini-series or movie.

The Midnight Club (2022)

Brilliantly acted

[6/10 · 18 May 2023]

Phew. Netflix makes it really hard sometimes, doesn't it?

Let's be honest, the series was actually crap.

The so-called horror stories were laughable and have nothing to do with the horror genre as we know it. It's teen horror a la "Lock & Key".

Why I still watched the series to the end was the fates of the characters. So moving, so incredibly serious. No one was safe, I didn't know who would still be alive in the next episode. Brilliantly acted. Nothing was embellished or romanticized. It was real and brilliantly written.

This is the reason for my rather positive rating. Simply because the characters deserved it.

Barbarians (2020–2022)

Season 1 was incredible

[7/10 · 30 April 2023]

I love history in general. Whether it's a movie, series or documentary, if it appeals to me, I'll watch it and I don't care if it pays attention to historical accuracy down to the last detail.

Season one was incredible, lavishly produced with a great cast. I didn't even mind all the subtitles. But the second season could have been skipped. Not only are the plots long and uninteresting, but the characters became annoying and the whole thing too unrealistic for me.

With a very heavy heart, I gave up the series in the middle of season two and that's something I normally avoid doing, but I didn't want to go on with the misery.

Willow (2022–2023)

I stopped right after the pilot episode

[1/10 · 30 April 2023]

Conjuring up a movie into a series in a meaningful way is difficult. The fans of the original want to have their say, want to advance the story and experience something new. At the same time, however, a younger, broader audience should be addressed...

That the series therefore begins with a review of the film felt like a good solution, but also meant that the plot would build on the film. Difficult for someone who hasn't seen the film. And one of the reasons I stopped right after the pilot episode.

On top of that, the characters didn't appeal to me at all. Boring and way too many. The acting was rather mediocre. I suppose none of the young talents saw the film and or found it outstanding.

The Strays (2023)

What did I just watch?

[4 March 2023]

I don't like to write bad reviews, but this movie took a good 2 hours off my life. So I have to put in my two cents as well. So let's go:

Apart from the fact that the idea is not bad, the implementation fails.

Annoying characters, impossible storylines and on top of that the worst music you can imagine.

My sympathy for the "forgotten" children is pretty much limited.

However, I have to admit, the ending was quite funny. How they stood there. All 4 kids, perplexed to learn that their mother abandoned her brood yet again. Again only thinking of herself... it literally screams for a sequel which I hope will not happen.

Seinfeld (1989–1998)

way too focused on laughs

[5/10 · 26 February 2023]

I have watched the series in German and in English. Unfortunately, I have to confess that I don't find it funny in either language. It's a strange series without any real meaning or depth.

The Genre: "Seinfeld" is way too focused on the laughs. Is it because that's what Jerry does for a living? That he has to be funny? I don't know. What I do know is that I hardly ever found a scene truly funny.

The Cast: none of the characters grow on you. None of the characters mature. They are shallow and selfish. Think of your worst acquaintance and you know what I mean.

The Plot: that's right, there isn't one. It is just everyday life.

My conclusion: I'm a fan of the 90s and currently catching up on everything I couldn't watch back then for whatever reason.

"Seinfeld" is a show I never noticed but wanted to watch because so many rave about it. Unfortunately, I can't share their euphoria. "Seinfeld" is not funny. You just sit through it. Emotionless. Indifferent. "What am I actually watching here?" George has typical little man syndrome. Kramer is all over the place and probably the worst neighbor one could wish for. Elaine would never be someone I would spend time with and Jerry is just there.

...Or maybe the show used to be funnier than it is now. Loosely based on the term "the series aged badly". Or maybe it's just me that doesn't get the charm and humor.

Behind Her Eyes (2021)

The plot drifts in a direction that is completely unnecessary to keep the series interesting

[3/10 · 26 February 2023]

Let's start with something positive. It's always nice to find a series that doesn't come from Hollywood. Unfortunately, my review is still short, since I only watched the pilot episode. Therefore, here is just a very short summary of my impressions:

Positive: I liked the intention of the series. Although the idea is not new, more or less already adapted 1000 times, the series simply shows real life. How these situations mostly happen, how it gets entangled.

Negative: The plot drifts in a direction that is completely unnecessary to keep the series interesting. While I like Louise's lapses, especially given that she works for a psychiatrist, I don't like that the series is trying to become "The X Files 2.0".

I also disliked the fact that the actors barely harmonize with each other and also don't come across as sympathetic. Only Louise seemed lively to me, she has a life, a child, relationship problems and money worries. The other two were simply present. No trace of background and therefore not identifiable.

1899 (2022)

It develops too slowly

[6/10 · 15 January 2023]

I initially only watched the first two episodes (in part), because I kept falling asleep in between. This is not meant to be a criticism of the series, because I found the topic quite interesting. So I watched the pilot episode again. Unfortunately, this did not change my first impression.

Positive: The theme. It reminds me a bit of the movie "Ghost Ship", with a touch of "The X-Files". That so many of my reviewer friends bring "Lost" into play, I can't confirm even after my second attempt to give the series a chance.

Negative: Too many characters that are not convincing. Unfortunately, I can't say if it's because of the actors or the dialogues.

Various languages and therefore (too) many subtitles.

The plot. It just develops too slowly. For an hour-long episode, I expect much more.

Consequently, there is a lack of tention. Thus, you just don't get in the mood to wish for more, even to bing-watch the series.

The series had so much potential. For that alone it deserves 5 stars. I give it 6 because the approach was promising but didn't convince me as a viewer to put up with another 7 episodes. Which as I found out, was better, because there won't be a second season and I don't want to get stuck in cliffhangers.

Locke & Key (2020– )

So, close your eyes and think like a teen.

[6/10 · 18 December 2022]

I had a different review in mind, but think I need to appease a bit because of the mostly bad reviews.

It's all about the perspective. The target audience is obviously young adults. That is already apparent in the description. So I also rate the series for the target audience and not for adults who expected a second "The Haunting of Bly Manor" behind it.

So, close your eyes and think like a teen.

The Genre: Aside from the horror genre I mentioned, I agree with the bullet points. It scrapes by Harry Potter, has some Narnia vibe and detective work a la Scooby Doo.

The Cast: When evaluating the cast, I'm still undecided after three seasons. What I liked was that there were no big-name actors. They would have only distracted from the plot. What I didn't like was how annoying some of the characters were. Especially Bode had this nestling vibe, which was important for the series, but at the same time became the center of all problems.

The Plot: So beautifully simple. A new beginning for a family after a hard blow. They move into the "enchanted" family mansion and get a whole new connection to their ancestors.

My conclusion: In many reviews I read out how flat the plot was. How obvious and predictable. But let's face it, most horror movies aren't much better and we're talking about a series that was produced to be family friendly.

The series was already quite complex because of the many characters. Excessive plot twists would have probably done more harm.

I had more of a problem with the teens dealing with problems in a more adult way than their parents. Nina, for example, is a character I probably wouldn't want to have contact with in real life at some point. Her development didn't progress at all, unlike that of her kids. I'm not sure if that was even the intention of the writers. Freely after the motto, everyone has to carry their baggage. Unfortunately, this somehow disturbed the balance.